Feb. 23, 1999

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<center>G. Ralph Thompson (L), Gunnar Stålsett (R)</center>
Silver Spring, Maryland, USA ... [ANN] Religious freedom was identified as an area where churches, while maintaining their own identity, can make a difference by working together to respond to “religious turmoil around the world,” said Gunnar Stålsett, president of International Religious Liberty Association (IRLA).

Stålsett is president of IRLA for 1999 and, on February 23, attended a Board of Directors meeting of the organization at its headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. 

Religious liberty is gaining increasing importance around the world.  Stålsett identified signs of opening in matters of religion in China and Cuba, but singled out India where situations surrounding religious communities give rise to national and international concern.  He said that IRLA and other organizations, need to pay more attention to emerging situations in religious freedom. 

Stålsett also called for “greater efforts of churches and other non-governmental organizations in drawing attention of nations and their governments” to solve religious liberty problems. 

Member of a Nobel Peace Prize Committee, Stålsett spoke of his opportunity to observe trends in pluralistic society that embraces different cultures and religions.

“We need to respond in a way that transcends cultural and religious identities.  In this way a balancing act of our integrity is truly tested,” said Stålsett.

Gunnar Stålsett, who currently is Bishop of Oslo of the Lutheran Church of Norway, and previously served as General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation, was instrumental in initiating an Adventist-Lutheran dialogue which concluded its four working sessions last year.  While in Silver Spring, Bishop Stålsett was guest at a luncheon hosted by G. Ralph Thompson, acting president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.  Thompson spoke highly of the conclusions of the dialogue and cooperation of Seventh-day Adventists with Christians of different persuasions in the area of religious liberty. [Ray Dabrowski]

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